Indoor golf system



Aug. 5.1924.

R. H. STRASSER INDOOR GOLF SYSTEM Filed Nov. 1922 4 Sheets-Shae t 1 g] I 1 vow-Jo's 4 I 6W0 1m 11 if firms er Aug. 5, 1924.

R. H. STRAS$ER INDOOR GOLF SYSTEM Filed Nov. 25 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet own v omm Richard Horn Aug. 5, 1924.

R. H. STRASSER INDOOR GOLF SYSTEM Sh ets-Sheet Fil'e'd Nov. 25 1922 ILSfii' v I 61mm,

1,503,720 R. H. STRASSER INDOOR GOLF SYSTEM Filed Nov. 25, 1922 4 Sheets$heet 4 Aug. 5, 1924.

Rickard 0 0 00 00000 0.0 o o o o woooo o b Patented Aug; 5, i924.

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RICHARD H. STRASSER, OF WASHINGTON, IDIS'TRIG'I. OF COLUMBIA.

INDOOR GOLE sY'sTEM.

Application filed November 25, 1922. Serial No. 603,271.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, RICHARD H. S'rnAssER,

. a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of'Columbia, have invented a certain new and'useful Improvement in an Indoor Golf System, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates broadly to the game I of golf and more particularly toa system for playing the game of golf for instruction, practice, exercise and amusement in restricted areas indoors simulating the con-.

ditions which occur on a regulation course.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a system for playing the game of golf indoors whereby drives may be made from tee to green indoors under conditions which prevail over a regulation course without regard to weather conditions and enposure.

provide an arrangement of golf meters for simulating the drives made over a regulation course with such hazards as bunkers and sand traps adjacent the golf meters,

and greens adjacent the machines whereby long drives may be made on the machines I and shorter drives may 'be made over the hazards andthe ball putted on the green for completing the hole.

Another object of the invention is to pro-'- Vide an arrangement of golf meters, hazards,

sand traps and greens within an enclosed area whereby a number ofplayers may be accommodated in playing the game of golf simultaneously without interference or con-.

fusion. v

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of indoor golf apparatus whereby the indoor area allowed for the game may be divided in such manner that individual instruction on the golf meter, putting green, sand trap, bunker, and with driving cages,'may be given toplayersin one portion while a plurality of games of golf may be played on golf meters,

hazards, and sand traps and greens in another portion of the enclosed area.

Another objectofthe'invention is to provide a construction of bunker, sand trap and greenfor playing the game of golf indoors with scales and calibrations .whereby the drives and strokes may be measured.

Another object of the invention is to provide achart re resentationof the holes in a regulation go f course showing distances from tee to green and hazards within the intervening distance whereby drives may be made on golf meters and over artificial hazards, and the ball putted on the green simulating the course of the ball over the charted course under the actual conditions of the outdoor game.

Otherjobjects of the invention W111 be understood by reference to the following specificationfia'nd the accompanying drawlngs, in which Hg. 1 is a plan view of one form of the arrangement of my indoor golf system; Fig.

2 shows a chart representing the drives from in my indoor golf system; Fig. 4 is a view 1 partially in section taken through the sand Another object of the invention is to trap showing the graduated screen against Wl'llCl'l drlves are'made in driving out'of the sand trap; Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View taken through the green shown in Fig.

hazards both natural and artificial, consistno ing of trees, streams, bunkers and sand traps. The center of course known as the fairway is especially prepared for playing bymaintaining the grass in neatly cut condition, while on the edges it is not prepared for play inthat the E is known as the roug In order to play the game each player has rass is long-this area certain equipment, including clubs comprismg among others a driver, brassie, m1d-i'ron,

cleek, mashie, mashie niblic, and putter.

In beginning the game on a regulation outdoor course the ball is placed on the tee anddriven down the fairway for a distanceof a number of yards using the driver. The distance to which-the ball has beendriven on the first drive will leave the choice of the next club to obtain the balance of the distance at. the option of the player until the ball has been driven on the green,

when the player would be required to use the putter in completing the play for the hole.

used by players in playing from the natural and artificial hazards.

There are several kinds of shots which might occur from the d1.ive,,nan'1ely; the straight drive, a drive pulling tothe left, or a slice drive slicing to the right, and a topped drive which merely rolls off the tee. Hazards with particular references to trees, streams and sand bunkers, occur at various distances between the tee and the green.

In the present invention I provide an arrangement for simulating the conditionsprevailing on the outdoor regulation golf course whereby the game may be played'for amusement, instruction and practice without regard to weather conditions. A plurality of golf meters or machines measuring a drive usually graduated in hundreds of yards are provided and hazards such as sand traps, bunkers and greens arranged adjacent thereto.

The drive made by a player on a golf meter or machin simulating the drive over a natural course is read directly in yards. 'A chart of the course is placed at each machine to indicate to the player the location of hazards in yards and so advises him "the location in distance which the ball has been driven. n n

In using the type of machine known as the Craig golf meter, the ball and trolley rotate about the fixed upright when the ball is hit by a club; the hand on the dial record-' ing in yards the actual distance of "each drive. The flight.of. the ball through the air indicates whether it has been cleanly hit, topped or sliced.

The reading on the meter with reference to the chart determines whether the drive has laced the ballin a trap or its location.

In t is case the player moves to trap. The .ball onthe machine .is secured while the ball played in the trap and on the green is a free ball. The player starts from some convenient point in the trap and attempts to drive o1'1t of. the sand over the hazard against calibrated screen. I The termina- "tion' of the; drive with reference to a curtain if at reading which the ,ball strikes indicates distance 'in' yardsthe-Iplayer has driven from trap. When the difference. between distance driven from the trap and green is less than particular limit the player would be.

deemed to be on the green and would proceed to putt out in the usual'maimer. The distance between the trap and the screen is graduated or indicated by a scale converting" yards to feet on 'accoiuit of playing in confined space, making it impossible to continue the play in yards, while the curtain indicates distance in yards.

' ,At times when player drives on machine or onthe screen adjacent the trap.

and registers such a figure that the correof the green, the player moves direct to green to complete the driveto the hole. The greens are placed convenient to each machine and the distance players are required to putt for the hole is determined by scale in feet representing yards of play. The player locates the ball on the green as determined by reading on the golf macl$pe 1e scales convert yards to feet for conserving space. 1

This indoor course is adapted for playing either medal or match play, as the professional game is always medal play and the amateur game match play.

By use of the above equipment it is quite practical to play the game of golf indoors under exactly the same conditions as occur on a regulation course. The players-use standard clubs and drive standard golf balls and exert asmuch energy in-hitting the ball secured to the golf meter as they would ever care to expend in an actual drive on the course. The 'drive gives the chief thrill to the playei in the game and it has been of the machine and register the number of yards on a dial. The golf meter is especially adapted to the use ofiron clubs, with the exception of the putter, as putting is approximately one-third'of the entir game. The putting greens adjacent to each machine provide a method of completing the exact distance required for any given number of yards per hole. Referring now more particularly to the drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates one form of arrangement of my indoor golf system wherein reference characters 1 to 9 represent-golf meters arranged in a row, and numerals 10 to l8'represent another row of golf meters on an opposite side of a building. The build 'ing may take many different forms such as square, rectangular, hexagonal or circular, but in the arrangement illustrated the, enclosure 20 is shown in rectangular form. Each unit for making'long drives simulatin'g drives of hundreds of yards over a regulation golf course-comprises the golf meter.

1, a mat -1- serving as a tee which may be a cocoanutmat and amat 1* which may be a rubber mat on-which the player may stand. Each unit is separated fro-m an adjacent unit-bye suitable partition 21, 22, and so on.

individual instruction room'includes the golf are meter-f 18, the mat'18 serving as a tee, the with several inches of loose .sand and cocoa mat 18 on which the player may stand, the mats or other material securely fastened in putting green 18, the sand trap 18,and hazard comprising the bunker 18?. The entire game of golf may be played Within this partitioned area. 24. Within the area 20 and. placed intermediate the rowsof machines the driving cages 25 are arranged. These cages comprise two portions with screen 38 (Fig. 4) placed vertically. between the sand traps 26 and 31, each of which are constructed in combination withbunkers, 27 and 32. Each of the driving cages is provided with a scale indicated at 28 and 30 to permit the ready location of the ball with reference to the sand trap and bunker. In the space intermediate the rows of machines the greens 34 and-35 'are arranged on the surface 20. Aisles are 'left free for the passage. of players from the various machines to the sand trapsp and to the greens.

Fig. 2 represents a chart indicated by reference character of the different holes in a regulation golf course each played from tee to green showing the locations of hazards and thedistances intervening between the tees and hazards and the green in driving from each tee to the corresponding hole.

This chart will indicate the drives and strokes required in playing each hole. The] representation for hole #1, for example, shows tee 51, hazards 52 and 53, and green 54, with the intervening distances expressed in yards.

Figs. 3 and 5 illustrate in more'detail the construction of the green. The green" is laced on supporting. surface 20- and .is ormed of a filler 46 having a rolling surface with the periphery -extending at a higher plane 48 than the body portion thereof. The surface of the filler may becovered smoothly with heavy material such as velvet or plush rugs, or material to provide a simi lar surface at 45, Calibrated scales 39 a d 40 are arranged on the sides of the eens.

The green is provided with stations 1 to 9 as indicated at 4-1 and 42 from which players may play out to the holes. The holes are in dicated at 43 and 44: The surface of'the' green is rolling in form as indicated by the wavelike lines in Fig. 3. The distance be, tween the. holes and the starting stations from which the playersmove is represented by the straight lines adjoining the'holes and the stations. It is .upderstood'that these lines are merely theoretical and do not ap-. pear on the green. I

In Fig. 4 the screen 38 within the driving cages 25 is graduated to' represent drives which are made out of the sand trap 26 over the bunker 27 -These graduations indicate distances'in yards obtained by drives over the hazard. The section through the sand trap and bunker shows the filler 36 which may be a clay base or other material covered place over th surface.

In Fig. 6 the portion of enclosure 20 partitioned off at 24 is represented in perspective. In thisroom a professional may give individual instruction to a player who drives on the golf meter 18 when standing on mat may be measured as indicated i'n Fig. 4.

The room may be used for instruction and"v practice purposes without the graduated curtain.

In playing contests on the golf meter as an" amusement, from two tofour players may use a single machine? In starting to play a match of'nine or eighteen holes, players are provided with a score card as shown in Fig. 2 indicating hole #1 as 400 yards fro1n tee to green. The player will take the driver and drive the ball from the tee 1". If a fairly struckball results a drive of 200 yards should be recorded on the meter, leaving a dis tance of 200-yards. The player now has the option of using either a mid-iron or brassie; by the use ofthe brassie and a fairly struck ball the meter would indicate a distance of 10.0 yards, leaving yards to the green, I

The player again has t e same opportunity in making a choice of clubs for this. short' distance the mashie, cleek, niblic, 'ma shie niblic and jigger. A player making any d-i'sijr tance between25 yards and the green be-considered to be on thev green 25 E661;- from thehole' and would proceed to utt ont from that distance on the green. If owever the 'playersjdrive should register 140-150 yards orQ240260 yards, the player would have-driven into a'sand trapf It would thenjbe necessary for the player to go to the.

sardtrap .26 and there properly drop a ball elscale graduations exactly as on a egi az course. The distance made by a playerffrom asand trap is indicated by the ball'striking the curtain 38 upon which'is laid "outthe distance in yards. A fair-out striking the'curtain' in the center not too high ortoo low would allow theplayerthe roceedlto play out ofthe trap guided averagedistance obtained from drives of thisnature. The .diagram of-the entire course ofseighteen holes would be placed in a convenient location at each machine upon a which wouldbe indicated all hazards, bunkers and-traps. On a bad slice or hooked ball, the player'would' have .to consider the ball to have been driven 0E the fairwa into the rough or long ,grass and would e re quired to play an .iron clubon the next stroke. The representations on the chart may be made to simulate and correspond with the layout of holes in the finest golf courses in the world.

The invention upon which this application is based is broader than the specific embodiment thereof which has been shownfor the purpose of illustrating one of its arrange ments, and I intend no limitations other than those imposed by the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

- 1. -A method of playing a game simulating golf which comprises driving a ball associ ated with a golf meter, comparing the reading of said golf meter with a chart of a golf course indicating the location of the ball on said course relative to traps and hazards as a result of said drive, and completing the drive of the ball over said traps and hazards relative to said chart with a free ball.

2. A method of playing an indoor game of golf comprising driving a ball operatively connected with a golf meter, con'iparing the reading of said meter with a chart of a golf course, driving a free ball over hazards and a green simulating hazards and green on said'chart, driving long distances on said golf meter and short distances over said hazards and on said greens.

3.111 a system for playing the game of golf indoors, the combination of a plurality of machines including a confined bail for simulating distances of drives over a natural course, hazards and greens adjacent said machines whereby drives of many. yards may be made on said machines with said confined ball and drives of shorter distances may be made with a free ball over said hazards and on said greens.

4'. A method of playing the game of golf indoors, which consists in driving a confined ball about a golf meter whereby distance simulating a drive over a natural golf course is measured, and utilizing a free ball for intermediate strokes over shorter distances dependent upon the indications of said golf meter.

5. In a system for playing the game of golf indoors, the combination of a plurality of machines for measuring the distance of rality of stations for playing eahh hole, a

graduated chart of a natural golf course and scales on the sides of said green corresponding to scales on said chart whereby a player may locate a ball for putting out for said holes in accordance with said chart.

7. In a system for playing golf indoors, the combination of a plurality of rows of machines-each including a confined ball for simulating drives of.a ball over a given -course, a plurality of hazards and sand traps between said rows of machines'and greens between said rows of machines whereby players can drive confined balls on said machines simulating drives of relatively long distances overa golf course and play intermediate strokes over said hazards and short strokes on said greens, said latter strokes being made with a free ball.

8. -ln a system for playing the game of golf indoors, the combination of a plurality of machines calibrated to simulate drives over a natural golf course in hundreds of yards, sand traps having calibrated vertical screens adjacent thereto whereby the distances of drives of a free ball over said traps may be indicated, a .chart representing distances over a natural golf course whereby a player may determine the location of his drives at all times, and an artificial green calibrated for putting to a hole when a player arrives in proximity to the hole by drives on said machines and over said sand traps. l

9. golf indoors, the combination of a plurality of rows of machines including a confined ball for simulating the drive of a golf ball over a natural course in hundreds of yards, a plurality of sand traps and artificial greens intermediate said rows of machines, and a unit assembly separate. from said machines, sand traps and greens comprising a sepaate machine having a conf ned ball, a sand trap and a' green intermediate said separate machine and sand trap whereby the entire game of golf may be played simultaneously in said unit and on said rows of machines simulating the actual drive of a golf ball from tee to, green in actual courses.

'. In a system for playing the game of golf, the combination of a machine including a confined ball for simulating the drive of a golf ball over long distances, an art1fi cial greenad acent said machine, a sand trap adjacent said green whereby strokes of hun- In a system for playing the game of dreds of. yards may be played on said machine with said confined ball and shorter strokes may be played in said trap and on said green with a free ball.

11., In a system for playing the game of golf indoors, the combination of a plurality -of machines each including a confined ball for simulating the drive of a ball over distances of hundreds of yards, sand traps and artificial greens adjacent said machines whereby strokes of shorter distances may be played over said sand traps and said artificial greens with a' free ball.

one hole in the course on one of said machines using said confined ball and complete the drive over said artificial hazards and greens using another ball and progress to adjacent machines to play succeeding holes in the course.

13. An apparatus for playing the game of golf indoors comprising a series of golf meters each including a confined ball arranged to be driven for simulating the drive of a golf ball over differently charted courses, hazards and greens adjacent said machines whereby players may drive a ball on oneof said machines simulating a drive over a charted course and complete the drive over hazards and greens with a free ball and then progress to an adjacent mach ne and drive over a differently charted course completing the drive over said hazards and greens with a free ball, and similarly progressing on said machines, hazards and greens for differently charted holes to play the entire game of golf.

14:. A building for playing the game of golf indoors, including a large aread room having partitions dividing the room into a plurality of portions each portion including a golf meter having a confined ball, a sand trap, hazard and green, a chart for each portion representing a graduated plan layout of a natural golf course, said golf meter, 'sand trap, hazard and green being arranged for simulating drives of said confined ball over distances of hundreds of yards in accordance with each of said charts,

an aisle in each portion, whereby players may progress from,one of said golf meters playing long strokes with said confined ball to said artificial hazards and greens and completing a drive With a free ball, and then progressing to another golf meter and to succeeding golf meters to play the entire game of golf. v

In a system for playing the game of golf indoors, an artificial green comprising a supporting surface, a filler having a plurality of recesses therein carried by said supporting surface, a covering extending over said filler and arranged as a lining for said recesses, and means about the periphery of said filler whereby said covering has one portion thereof in a plane at a higher level than another portion thereof for confining a free ball on the green, and an irregular surface throughout said last named portion.

16. In a system for playing the game of golf, a chart representing the distances of drive from tee to green for a plurality of different holes in an actual course, a series of machines for simulating drives in hundreds of yards over said courses, and a plurality of greens, sand traps and hazards for completing drives for each of said. holes comparable With the travel of a ball over each of said courses from tee to green, and calibrations on said chart corresponding with calibrations of drives on said machines, sand traps, hazards and greens.

l7. In a system for playing the game of golf indoors, the combination of a support ing surface, a bunker carried by said surface, a sand trap adjacent said bunker, calibrations for locating a ball relative to said sand trap and bunker whereby drives may be made over said combined sand tm and bunker simulating drives over a natura golf course 1n accordance with sald calibratlons.

RICHARD H. STRASSER. 

